Tail-gate responsive, unloading conveyor for shuttle loaders



March r Y J F JOY I I 2,739,723

TAIL-GATE RE'sPo'NslvE, UNLOADING CONVEYOR FOR SHUTTLE LOADERS OriginalFiled July 12, 1951 V 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jbsepiz f kg.

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March 27, 1956 J. F. JOY

TAIL-GATE RESPONSIVE, UNLOADING 2,739,723 CONVEYOR FOR SHUTTLE LOADERSOriginal Filed July 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 bw 5% Km March 1956 J. F.JOY 2,739,723

TAIL-GATE RESPONSIVE, UNLOADING CONVEYOR FOR SHUTTLE LOADERS JosgvkE(76y @320 rzzey United States Patent O TAIL-GATE RESPONSIVE, UNLOADINGCON- VEYOR FOR SHUTTLE LOADERS Joseph F. Joy, Pittsburgh, Pa'.,as'signor to Joy'Manufactunng Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Original application July 12, 1951, Serial No. 236,292.Divided and this application September 8, 1953, Serial No. 378,988

19 Claims. (Cl. 214-519) This invention relates to mine haulage vehiclesand more particularly to a tail-gate responsive, unloading conveyor fora shuttle-loader.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved mine haulagevehicle having improved material discharging means. Another object is toprovide an improved end or tail-gate for a shuttle-loader whereby theload carrying capacity of the car is greatly increased and thepossibility of substantial spillage of material during travel of the caris substantially reduced. A further object is to provide an improvedunloading conveyor associated with the tail-gate whereby the conveyor isin part controlled by the tail-gate. Yet another object is to provide animproved tail-gate operatively associated with a reciprocatory conveyorwhose operation is in part responsive to the position of the tail-gateso that material may be discharged only when the tail-gate is open. Astill further object is to provide improved control means actuated bymovement of the tail-gate between its open and closed positions andoperative when the gate is closed for rendering a part of the conveyorineffective. These and other objects and advantages of the invention,however, hereinafter more fully appear.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.236,292, filed July 12, 1951.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shuttle-loader in which an illustrative formof the invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the shuttle-loader shown in Fig. l,with the near wheels removed and show-' ing parts in section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2, looking toward theopposite side of the machine and likewise with the near wheels removedand parts shown in section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central longitudinal vertical section taken online 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view showing the end or tail-gate in openposition and with parts shown in vertical section to illustratestructural details.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, as shown in thedrawings, the shuttle-loader is generally designated 1 and generallycomprises a mobile body 2 supported by propelling and steering means inthe form of front traction wheels 3 and rear steering wheels 4.The'vehicle or car body has a material receiving compartment or hopper 5extending lengthwise thereof and is provided with a rear end ortail-gate" 6. Mountedat the front end of the car body is a self-loadingmechanism, generally designated 7, including a bucket 8 for gatheringloose material such as loose coal or ore, and for moving the material sogathered into the hopper. Extending along the length and across thewidth of the hopper bottom is a reciprocatory conveyor or feeder,generally designated 9, for effecting loading of the hopper and forproviding a self-discharging. mechanism for the hopper. Arranged ice atone side of the forward portion of the machine body is a recess 10providing an operators station. Arranged between the rear and frontwheels at this same side of the body is a cable reel mechanism 11 onwhich a conductor cable is wound for supplying electric power to anelectric driving motor 12, the latter arranged between the front andrear wheels at the opposite side of the body, and this motor effectsdrive of a conventional pumping means 13 for supplying liquid underpressure to the various hydraulically operated devices of the machine.

The vehicle body is of a generally rectangular, low height designespecially adapted to use in underground mines or tunnels, and thecompartment or hopper 5 extends lengthwise of the body from end to endthereof and has parallel vertical side walls provided by vertical sideplates 15. The end gate 6 closes the rear end of the hopper, as shown inFig. 4, and is openable, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit discharge ofmaterial from the hopper, as will later be described.

The reciprocatory conveyor or feeder 9 arranged at the bottom of thehopper is of the reciprocating plate type and comprises a series ofrearwardly and upwardly inclined, parallel pusher plates or bars 17guided for reciprocation in inclined guideways 18 arranged betweenparallel stationary plates 19 and secured to the inner sides of thevertical side plates 15 of the hopper. These pusher plates have upperpusher surfaces 20 and, as they are rapidly reciprocated, serve to pushthe material received in the hopper rearwardly and upwardly thereby tofill completely the hopper. A rearward feeder plate portion or section21 is inactive whenever the end-gate 6 is closed but when this gate isopened, this rearward feeder section is rendered eifective and coactswith the other parts of the feeder to effect complete discharge of thehoppercontents from the rear end of the vehicle. The feeder is actuatedby a pair of hydraulic cylinders 22, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, arranged atthe opposite sides of the forward portion of the vehicle body with theiraxes inclined in parallelism with the guideways 18 for the pusherplates, as shown in Fig. 2. These cylinders are rigidly secured as bybolts to the vertical side plates 15 and contain reciprocable pistonshaving piston rods 23 secured at 24 to reciprocating frames 25 ofgenerally rectangular shape and rigidly secured, as by screws 26, to theforward portions of longitudinally extending side bars 27 arranged atthe outer sides of the vertical plates 15 and connected to the lowerportions of the pusher plates. These reciprocable side bars are notchedat 28 at their lower edges to receive cross bars 29 secured to thepusher plates and projecting laterally outwardly through suitable sideopenings 30 in the vertical side plates. Thus, as the pistonsreciprocate the pusher bars 17 of the feeder are rapidly reciprocated intheir guideways to effect feed. The control valve means 31 forcontrolling flow of fluid to and from the hydraulic cylinders 22 isfully disclosed in the copending application above referred to.

The actuating means for the rearward feeder section comprises resilientdogs or latches 32 secured to the rearward portions of the reciprocatoryside bars 27, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and these latches areengageable with blocks 33 secured to the forward portions ofreciprocatory sidebars 34 of the rearward feeder section. The side bars27 are suitably guided for longitudinal movement within the lowerportion of the vehicle body as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Thus, when theside bars 34 are interlocked by the latches with the reciprocatory sideclosed, as shown in Fig. 4, a pair of side rods 37 have" moved forwardlytofill the spaces rearwardly of the blocks 33 whereby, at this time, thelatches 32 merely ride back and forth over the blocks without lookingengagement therewith so that the rearward feeder section remainsinactive. Lever arms 38 pivoted at 39 at the lower portion of thevehicle body to swing in longitudinal vertical planes are connected bypin and slot connections 40 to the side rods 37', and springs 41 act onthe upper ends of the lever arms yieldingly to urge the side rods 37rearwardly. The end-gate 6 is pivoted at 42 at its upper edge on therear end of the vehicle body to swing about a horizontal transverse axisand when this gate is swung towards closed position it engages theprojecting rear ends 43 of the side rods 37 to move the latter forwardlyto the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby to prevent locking engagementof the latches 32 with the rod-blocks 33. When the gate is opened, asshown in Pig. 5, the springs 41 move the side rods 37 rearwardly into aposition wherein the latches may lockingly engage the blocks 31, therebyto connect the rear feeder section for reciprocation with the mainforward feeder section. hydraulic cylinders 45, arranged at the oppositesides of the vehicle body, are each pivoted at its upper end at 46 to asuitable bracket 47 secured to the vehicle body, and these cylinderscontain reciprocable pistons 43 having piston rods 49 pivotallyconnected at their outer ends at 50 to the sides of the lower portion ofthe endgate 6. Thus, by properly supplying liquid under pressure to thecylinders 45 the pistons 48 may be moved to elfect swinging of the gateinto either its open or its closed position as desired. The controlvalve means 51 for the gate cylinders is likewise fully disclosed in thecopending application mentioned above.

The mode of operation of the improved tail-gate and conveyor will now bedescribed. The material to be transported may be gathered from the mineor tunnel fioor near the working face of the mine or tunnel by thebucket 8 and the gathered material may be moved rearwardly into thecompartment or hopper of the vehicle body; it being understood at thattime the end-gate 6 is in closed position as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Asthe material is moved into the hopper by the bucket 8 the bottomconveyor or feeder 9 may be operated to move the material upwardly andrearwardly, and, since the rear end of the hopper is closed by theend-gate 6, the hopper may be completely filled with material. Theloaded vehicle may then be trammed along the mine or tunnel passagewaysby the traction wheels to a suitable point of delivery remote from theworking face, and the discharge end of the vehicle may be brought up toits proper discharge position. The swing cylinders 45 for the end-gate 6may then be operated to swing the gate upwardly into its open position(Fig. 5) and the latches 32 automatically connect the rear conveyorsection to the main conveyor section to effect discharge of the hoppercontents through the open discharge end of the hopper completely tounload the latter. After the vehicle is unloaded, the end-gate 6 mayagain be closed, throwing out the rear feed section of the conveyor, andthe vehicle may then be trammed through the mine or tunnel passagewaysback to the initial working place whereby loading may again be effected.

As a result of this invention an improved mine haulage vehicle isprovided which embodies a material-receiving compartment of relativelylarge capacity and which may be readily and quickly loaded and unloaded.The provision of the reciprocatory bottom conveyor or feeder togetherwith the end-gate enables complete filling of the hopper and enablesrapid discharge of the material from the hopper. By operativelyassociating the end-gate with the conveyor, the operation of the latteris responsive to the position of the end-gate so that the gate is alwaysopen Whenever the conveyor is operated to efiect discharge. These andother advantages will be clearly apparent to. those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described A pair of 4.one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will beunderstood that this form of the same isshown for purposes ofillustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied invarious other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A material haulage vehicle comprising a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment, a movable end-gate for said compartment,a main conveyor section at the bottom of said compartment, a cooperatingrear conveyor section providing a continuation of said main conveyorsection, driving, means for said conveyor sections, and means controlledby movement of said endgate for controlling the drive. of said rearconveyor section whereby the latter is driven only when said endgate isat least partially open.

2. A material haulage vehicle comprisinga mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment, a movable end-gate for said compartment,a forward conveyor section at the bottom of said compartment, 2.cooperating rearward conveyor section, means for driving said forwardconveyor section, means providing a releasable connection between saidsections whereby said front sec tion may drive said rear section, andmeans controlled by movement of said end-gate for effecting orinterrupt-I ing the drive between said conveyor sections automaticallyto render said rear section inactive whenever said gate is closed.

3. A material haulage vehicle comprising a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment extending lengthwise thereof, a movableend closure for said compartment mounted on said body for movement intoand out of closed position, a forward conveyor section at the bottom ofsaid compartment, a coacting rearward con-, veyor section forming acontinuation of said forwardsection, means for driving said forwardconveyor section, a releasable driving connection between said sectionswhereby said forward section may drive saidrearward section, and meanscontrolled by movement of said movable end closure for automaticallyeffecting release of said driving connection whenever said closure ismoved into its closed position.

4. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidconveyor sections are of the reciprocatory type and said driving meansfor said forward conveyor section includes a reciprocatory side barextending longitudinally of said vehicle body.

5'. A material haulage vehicle comprising a mobile body having amaterial-recei'ving-compartrnent extending lengthwise thereof, an endclosure for said compartment mounted on said body for movement into andout of closed position, a forward conveyor section at the bottom of saidcompartment, a coacting rearward conveyor section forming acontinuation. of said forward section, means for driving said forwardconveyor section, said conveyor sections being of the reciprocatory typeand said driving means for said forward conveyor section including areciprocatory side bar extending longitudinal- 1y of said vehicle body,a releasable driving connection between said sections to effect drive ofsaid rearward section by said forward section, and means controlled bysaid movable end closure for automatically effectively release of saiddriving connection when said'closure is. moved into its closed position,said releasable driving connectionincluding av releasable latch carriedby said reciprocatory side bar and a latch-engaging block mountedtoreciprocate with an element. of said rearward conveyor section andautomatically lockingly engageable by said latch when said end closureis in open position.

6. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 5' wherein saidmeans controlled by said movable end closure includes a longitudinalside bar for automatically"- throwing out said latch from locking;engagement said block when said end closure is moved into its closedposition.

7. In combination, a vehicle body having a material receivingcompartment, a bottom conveyor for discharg ing material from saidcompartment, a movable end gate for closing the discharge end of saidcompartment during loading of material into the compartment, drivingmeans for said conveyor, and control means actuated by movement of saidend-gate for controlling drive of the said conveyor by said drivingmeans to effect driving of said conveyor only when the end-gate is open,said control means movable to render said driving means ineffective todrive said conveyor when said end-gate is closed.

8. In combination, a vehicle body having amaterialreceiving-conipartment, a bottom conveyor for dischargingmaterial from said compartment, said conveyor being of the reciprocatorytype and having a reciprocatory actuating bar, an end-gate for closingthe discharge end of said compartment during loading of material intothe compartment, driving means for said conveyor, and control meansactuated by said end-gate for controlling drive of the said conveyor bysaid driving means to effect drive of said conveyor only when theend-gate is open, said control means movable to render said drivingmeans ineffective to drive said conveyor when said end-gate is closed,said control means including a releasable latch for connecting said barin driving relation with said conveyor.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said control meansincludes a rod actuated by said endgate for controlling the operation ofsaid latch, said rod efiecting release of said latch when said gate isclosed.

10. In combination, a vehicle body having a material receivingcompartment, an unloading conveyor, driving means for said conveyor, anend-gate for said compartment movable into open and closed positions,and means responsive to movement of said end-gate to a predeterminedposition for controlling the operation of said unloading conveyor toeifect unloading of the compartment only when said end-gate is open,said movement responsive means also effecting interruption of drive ofsaid conveyor when said end-gate is closed.

11. A material haulage vehicle comprising a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment, a movable end-gate for said compartment,means for moving said gate between open and closed positions, conveyingmeans extending along the bottom of said compartment lengthwise of thelatter and comprising a main conveyor section and a cooperating rearconveyor section, driving means for said main conveyor section, meansfor connecting said rear conveyor section to said main conveyor sectionto effect drive of the former by the latter, and means actuated bymovement of said gate for connecting said rear conveyor section to saidmain conveyor section when the gate is moved by said moving means towardits open position.

12. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein saidgate-movement-actuated means effects release of said rear conveyorsection from said main conveyor section when said gate is moved by saidmoving means toward its closed position.

13. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein saidconnecting means between said conveyor sections comprises a latch onsaid main conveyor section for connecting said rear section to said mainsection, said connecting means including means for releasing said latchwhen said gate is moved toward closed position.

14. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein saidmain and rear conveyor sections are disposed at the same level at thebottom of said compart ment with said sections in longitudinalalignment.

15. A material haulage vehicle as set forth in claim 13 wherein alatch-releasing rod extends longitudinally at one side of said rearconveyor section and is actuated by said end-gate.

16. In combination, a vehicle body having amaterialreceiving-compartment, a conveyor, driving means for saidconveyor, an end-gate for said compartment movable between open andclosed positions, means for moving said gate between said positions, andmeans responsive to movement of said end-gate to a predeterminedposition for controlling operation of said conveyor to effect actuationof said conveyor to initiate unloading of said compartment only whensaid end-gate is at least partially open.

17. A material haulage vehicle comprising a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment extending lengthwise thereof, a movableend closure for said compartment mounted on said body for movement intoand out of closed position, means for moving said end closure toward andfrom said closed position, a forward conveyor section at the bottom ofsaid compartment, a coacting rearward conveyor section at thecompartmentbottom providing a continuation of said forward section,means for driving said forward conveyor section, a releasable drivingconnection between said connections to effect drive of said rearwardsection by said forward section, and means controlled by movement ofsaid end closure by said moving means for automatically effectingrelease of said driving connection between said conveyor sectionswhenever said enclosure is moved into its closed position.

18. In a material haulage vehicle, a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment extending lengthwise thereof,reciprocatory conveyor means extending along the bottom of saidcompartment for effecting loading of material into and for dischargingmaterial from said compartment, said conveyor means including a mainreciprocatory forward conveyor section and a rear reciprocatorydischarge conveyor section, driving means for said main conveyorsection, and a releasable connection between said reciprocatory sectionsfor interrupting drive of said rear section during loading of thecompartment and for effecting connection of said rear section with saidmain section for drive by the latter to effect discharge of materialfrom said compartment.

19. In a material haulage vehicle, a mobile body having amaterial-receiving-compartment extending lengthwise thereof,reciprocatory conveyor means extending along the bottom of saidcompartment for effecting loading of material into and for dischargingmaterial from said compartment, said conveyor means including a mainforward conveyor section and a rear discharge conveyor section, drivingmeans for said main conveyor section, and a releasable connectionbetween said sections for interrupting drive of said rear section duringloading of the compartment and for efi'ecting connection of said rearsection with said main section for drive by the latter to effectdischarge of material from said compartment, said releasable connectionincluding a latch on said main conveyor section and engageable with anelement of said rear conveyor section and a releasing element forreleasing said latch to interrupt drive of said rear section duringloading of material in said compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlZTED STATES PATENTS1,341,239 Mason May 25, 1920 1,442,295 Porter Jan. 16, 1923 2,082,673Williamson June 1, 1937 2,394,006 Osgood Feb. 5, 1946 2,670,836 BallMar. 2, 1954 2,673,638 Barrett et al Mar. 30, 1954

